Institute co-founder and executive director Ann Hackler reflects on the process of passing the torch and how the music field for girls and young women has evolved forty years after the institute was founded.

Part 3 (final segment) of 3-part series.

Produced by Marsha Lazarus

Part 2 of interview with Executive Director and Co-founder Ann Hackler, of the Institute for the Musical Arts in Goshen, Mass. Ann talks about how the institute evolved to offer summer sessions, called Rock the Summer for girls and young women - all that goes with doing rock n' roll. In fact, it's how the institute is best known today.

Produced by Marsha Lazarus

Today, on the Hudson Mohawk Magazine,

First, Mark Dunlea brings us many voices from an environmental protest organized by a local Fridays for Future chapter.

Then, Vinny DamaPoleto will talk about the Town of Brunswick and how the Town Clerk’s Office, Tax Receiver’s Office, and Water departments serve residents.

After that, we have a throwback to the early days of Hudson Mohawk Magazine to when Stanley Hadsel of Market Block Books would come on weekly for book recommendations.

Finally, Thom Francis introduces us to poet Shelby Hafener.

Hosts: Vinny DamaPoleto and Caelan McPherson

Engineer: Caelan McPherson

As we just passed election day, there are many local roles that many of us might not be familiar with. HMM Volunteer, Vinny DamaPoleto, works for the Town of Brunswick as the Deputy Town Clerk, Assistant to the Receiver of Taxes, and Assistant to the Superintendent of the Water dept., and we wanted to ask him about his many hats and their functions to keep the town running.

Last week, the Bottle Bill coalition held a press conference to announce the results of our statewide survey, which found that the large majority of stores that sell Bottle Bill-covered beverages do not post the legally required "Bottle Bill of Rights" sign. These signs are meant to alert consumers that they can take back the covered beverages they purchased there for their nickel return. Two arrests were made outside of the Governor’s Mansion in Albany, Monday morning, after Bottle Bill protestors dumped a truckload of cans and bottles at the gate. Employees from bottle redemption centers across the state gathered to dump the multiple days’ worth of waste. They are seeking an increase in the handling fee as well as increasing the nickel deposit to a time. Blair Horner of NYPIRG gives an update about the Campaign to Mark Dunlea of the Hudson Mohawk Magazine.

Earth’s Greatest Enemy, the second feature film project by Abby Martin, is a groundbreaking anti-imperialist environmental documentary. Exempt from international climate agreements and rarely scrutinized in mainstream reporting, the Pentagon is the world’s single largest institutional polluter—spewing carbon, contaminating water, and scarring landscapes across the globe. Abby discusses her film, which recently played at the Spectrum in Albany, with Mark Dunlea for Hudson Mohawk Magazine. https://earthsgreatestenemy.com/

Fall Healing Day with Dr. Xavier Coughlin by Hudson Mohawk Magazine

This week, Thom Francis introduces us to poet Shelby Hafener. They were one of the featured readers at the Eight Poets event at The Fish Market on Saturday, October 11. That day, Shelby was joined by poets from the Hudson Valley Writers Guild, online zines Trailer Park Quarterly and Hobo Camp Review, and Troy-based bookstore Paper Moon.

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Online literary zines Trailer Park Quarterly and Hobo Camp Review presented an afternoon of poetry and spoken word at the Fish Market with Troy-based bookstore Paper Moon and the Hudson Valley Writers Guild.

Eight poets took the stage that day and shared their work that afternoon, including Shelby Hafener, who read “God Bless the Forever War,” “This House,” a poem about her grandmother, “Different” in commemoration of National Coming Out Day, and “New Moon Child.”

Shelby Hafener (she/they) is a free-form poet based in Troy, NY. Her works are inspired by their life as a lesbian, her struggles with mental health, and a response to the world at large. She uses poetry as a form of expression, showing herself to the world in a way that makes sense. Their first collection of poems is titled “Two Years Under My Teeth” and was self-published in 2023.

Hudson Valley Writers Guild Vice President, Mary Panza, introduced Shelby to the audience.

Today, on the Hudson Mohawk Magazine,

First, Mark Dunlea talks to Liz Moran from Earth Justice on Gov. Hochul’s decision to delay the implementation of the All Electric Buildings Act.

Then, Sean Bernyk speaks with Blaise Bryant about the history of disability rights advocacy in the country.

Later, Lennox Apudo has a conversation with Dio Kauffman about Saratoga’s Camping Ban ordinance, which was passed in July 2025, and its impact on unhoused people.

After that, as part of the Everybody Moves weekly show, Yi Lu talks to Huey-Rong Chen, a former international student from Taiwan at UAlbany.

Finally, Moses Nagel brings us coverage of an evolving story involving the criticism of the Schenectady School Board following the suspension of several students at Freshman Leadership Academy.

A rash of student suspensions at a Schenectady public school has led to recriminations, concerns about racial disparities in punishments, and an official letter of criticism from the school board to one of its well-known members. Moses Nagel reports.